What is "attack of mushroom people"?
I thought he's first Japanese real rock`n' roller got pretty big success in Europe more than 15 years before BORDOMS.I believe in any kinds of language lyrics possible to create rock`n' roll.
Mostly JAP Neo GS(was doubled meaning of 60's Group Sounds
& Garage Sounds) bands were impressed 60's Psyche, Garage,Mod,Freak
Beat and GS stuff.
And it was possible to create with aftermath of 70's
Punk Rock explosion,also Nuggets and Pebbles action that were digging more
obscure 60's gems from unknown graveyard.
Each bands' sound and live performance were very professional
and technical.Some were digging Guitar Feedback noise or Fuzz(Big Muff,Super
Fuzz etc.) and Wha-Wha pedal or Vox organ, sometimes in deep reverberation.
I thought they had been digging 70's punk rock in the
beginning, it made them archival to find more primitive and raw sounds.
Maybe they took the sameway that THE CRAMPS or FUZZTONES used to did, but
they never mimic European or American style, neither even JAP 60's original
GS. That because they sung in Japanese lyrics and tried to buzzing different
sound as European or US garage punk!!
But unfortunately these guys were misunderstood by media(TV
& Radio shows, Papers,Zines etc.) until late 90's.
The Bands______________________________________________________
*WOW WOW HIPPIES
Awesome 80's JAP Psychedelic group!! They were also known
as opened forJESUS & MARYCHAIN' first Japan tour. I used to dig these
cool kids and they were one of my fave R&R band back in mid 80's. They
left 4 tracks 7" vinyl and few cuts for comp LPs.
These guys were sometimes so wild & crazy, specially
the singer Munakata used to agitate the audiences like 60's radical
rebellious kids. I had fulfill sympathy for these psychedelic boys
or sometimes jealous them, they were absolutely cool and real Rock`n' Rollers
for me. My fave cuts are "Me and Big Silver",Rainbow Park""Mirrors",Marble
Love",Monday Morning Warp"WOW WOW HIPPIES forever!!
*RED CURTAIN(pre.ORIGINAL LOVE)
Genius psychedelic boy called Takao Tajima(first time
I saw him and was dressed in paisley shirt, beatle boots & mushroom
hair) and WOW WOW HIPPIES knocked on our dressing room after THE PHANTOM
GIFT' Aoyama college concert gig, and gave me their demo tapes(after that
I passed them to Mint soundrecords).
Takao is also great guitarist, He played 12 strings
Mozlight guitar, like Roger Mcguinn. And then I asked him "What
is your first record Which you bought by yourself ?" Takao said "Rory Gallagher's
Calling Card LP"
In fact,Me(singer) & Takao(guitar),Kenichi Shirane
(Dr.from WOW WOW HIPPIES), Etoh(Bass,from HIPPY HIPPY SHAKES),Takeyama(Organ,from
MUDY LAMPS) are played at couple of shows together in the band called CHAMELEON
ARMY. We enjoyed to play 60's cover cuts like DOORS,SEEDS,CARAVELLES or
CRAMPS' cuts.
I remember Takao & Shinnya Kogure( Guitarist,songwriter
of WOW WOW HIPPIES) came over to visit my room in Fussa,and we were very
excited to critically talking about Rock`n' Roll,fave movies or poets like
Paul Verlaine & Arthur Rimbaud.
Anyway I miss him more than 10 years. "Hi how are you
doing? How do you like go out with me and hanging around the clubs or bars
like a long lost friends??"
*STRIKES
They sound like SILVER BEATLES or MILKSHAKES. And I guessed
they were influenced by JAP 70's band called CAROL(rock'n' roll teddy
boys). I saw many chicks with 60'sfashions who were dancing crazy
and yell or shout very loud at their shows.
They released few albums on major label. In early 90's,
I joined them(We called it "FIVE BANANAMEN".) and had a show at Chocolate
City .We played bunch of 60's freak beat stuff. That night was speciall
for me because we did it just for ourselves to have fun and respect
for lots of great rock`n'rollers influenced us.
We played PRETTY THINGS,SORROWS,SONICS,BO DIDDLEY,BEACH
BOYS,TRASHMEN, and more.
That greatest night made all(about150 garage punk
kids came over to our show)
very excited, and it was cool memorabilia in my mind
even now.
*COLLECTORS
Number one Japanese MOD/Freak Beat group back in mid
80's. They released lots of records or CDs on major labels. Hisashi Katoh
who has great voice is excellent song writer, also very nice guy
for me. I remember that when I left the band and tried to organize new
band, his help worked well and I regarded him so much even now.
They are still keep on playing in the same band more
than 15 years!! Best Wishes from Pinky.
*HIPPY HIPPY SHAKES
How can I introduce these guys. Their live shows were
typical 60's GS flavor with excellent sense of humor. And their costumes
and live performance were so cool. Specialy Nakano the singer' s dancing
performance was outta sight. Just 
length
LP on major label. FAB!!
*MUDY LAMPS
Their sound exists between MUSIC MACHINE and early THEM
or SHADOWS OF KNIGHT with 60's flavor Hammond organ sound influenced
by black rock`n' roll.
Van Morrisonic singer called Takeyama's shout & singing
performance & blues psyche sound used to blow my mind at all!! They
also highly regarded in Tokyo MOD Scene.
*20 HITS
What a amazing hype garage punk band.
Osamu Yamada, Jiroh Ohtoshi, Jimmy Mashiko,Shinji Anan,Ken
Yamagishi(pre.PHANTOM GIFT),Organized in early 80's.But after their first
show,Yamagishi was fired because of his guitar is too heavy for 20 HITS.They
were first Japanese band that discovered Jap 60's unknown GS stuff couple
of years before PHANTOM GIFT.
They were inspired by Pebbles,Nuggets,Acid Dreams etc.
Featuring noisy feed back sound by killer guitar=Jiroh
Ohtoshi VELVETS' infulence and very catchy singing melodies and strong
and tough freak beat.They used to play Q65's cuts back in mid 80's. This
band was led by Jimmy Mashiko who is very intelligent guy and helped me
organizing PHANTOM GIFT. He also is graphic designer(5678's,LA MONSTER
VIOLENTA,STRIKES etc.) and painting artist and sometimes write articles
about 60's punk on SOFT HELL(ed. by King Joe). He's real 60's Garage Punk
Professor .They left few cuts for comp LPs. You can check them out on"VA/Atack
of...","VA/IKasu!! " comp CDs,and very LTD Cassette tapes included CHOIR's
cover "It's Cold Outside"in early 80's.
They reformed lately and had few shows. Dig it!!
*PHANTOM GIFT
So I like to tell you guys & girls objectively this
band by Hitomi &Glynis.
Buzzing along with or aftermath of Neo GS explosion________________
The guy called Nov Takahashi(Daddy O) started series
concert gigs called "Back From The Grave" around `90. GREAT 3(Hard garage
inst. trio like LINK WRAY influence.Ken Yamagishi:Guitar,Kennichi Shirane:Dr,Kiyoshi
Takakuwa:Bass),TEXACO LETHERMAN,5678's,JACKIE & THE CEDRICS,GUITAR
WOLF,MAD 3,PEBBLES etc.
I think it didn't work JAP modern garage scene without
help from Nov Takahashi &Jimmy Mashiko,any way at all!!
I've got to introduce my fave modern psyche garage bands
from Kansai area(Osaka,Kyoto).
LA VITA SEXUALIS(ex.RUMBLERS`86-`90) and ANGEL IN HEAVY
SYRUP are my heavy rotation lately.LA VITA SEXUALIS is tough fuzz guitar
and organ sound psychedelic freak beat band. Their sound is very Japanese
GS flavor and excellent lyrics in Japanese. They released 3 albums(2 from
Gyuun Casette rec. and live CD came out from Playmate records/fax: overseas
code+81-48-831-0840). LA VITA SEXUALIS will blow your mind with richly
colored sounds!!
And ANGEL IN HEAVY SYRUP, these amazing psychedelic princes
are absolutely intelligent psyche sound creators. I've been digging their
music from early 90's.Their sounds like THIS MORTAL COIL meets AMON DUUL
or CAN meets JACKS. Very sensitive and deep reverbed voice makes remind
me back early years of MAZZY STAR(ex.OPAL) or DRUG STORE.My best recommended
modern girls psychedelia!!.
